warriors second generation:red moon
by kairikat
Summary: Starrywaters adventure continues in the second book red moon. The clan is on the brink of a major war with their arch rival spiritclan! Can starrywater find the cause of their rivalry that goes back to the first leaders of the second generation clans?
1. Chapter 1

I rocked back on my haunches preparing to leap and catch a thrush. It pecked the ground unaware of my presence. 'Muahahaha that's right bird keep your tiny bird brain focused on…whatever birds eat.' I thought as I rose my rump shaking it back and forth.

Just as I was about to jump on it a flash of orange fur ran by and the thrush was gone. I stood up and flattened my ears in annoyance. "Hey pal I had that!" I yowled. Then a fox appeared behind a tree carrying the thrush between her jaws. "Oh cleo." I meowed flattening my fur and pricking up my ears. "Sorry." She mumbled. "I have to stock up for winter." She dropped the thrush at my paws.

"Nah I can catch my own prey for leaf bare." I meowed pushing the thrush back towards the fox. "She sat back on her haunches and licked her paws. "Starrywater!" I turned to see blackpaw stumbling towards me with a squirrel as big as he was in his jaws. "I'll leave so he won't attack me or anything." Cleo whispered as she picked up the thrush and disappeared into the undergrowth. Blackpaw stumbled up to me and dropped the squirrel at my paws panting. "Very good blackpaw." I meowed approvingly. "Maybe tigerstar will choose me to go to the gathering tonight if I show him what a good hunter I am." The young tom boasted as I picked up the squirrel.

We turned and headed in the direction of where I had caught a mouse and a vole earlier. "When are we going to train in combat moves again?" Blackpaw looked up at me hopefully. "Well I'm supposed to go on the sunhigh patrol once we get back to camp so… I could ask littlefish if you can come along." I meowed looking up in thought. We stopped at the patch of ferns where I had hidden the prey I had caught. I motioned with my tail for blackpaw to get the prey. He bounded into the bush and snatched the two pelts of prey. He came back and dropped them at my paws. I looked at him questioningly. "I want to carry the squirrel." He meowed simply. I dropped the squirrel at his paws smiling as he eagerly snatched its neck in his mouth. I picked up the mouse and vole and we started to walk to camp.

Prey was becoming scarce now that leaf fall was approaching so the clan is stocking up on prey in the freshkill pile and sending out more hunting patrols. Some of the leaves on the trees were already turning different shades of color. "Hi starrywater, blackpaw." I looked down from the trees and saw flowerpaw carrying a bundle of herbs on her jaws. "Hi flowerpaw how's the new training?" I mumbled through the prey in my mouth. "It's a little harder remembering all the herbs but I'm adjusting." She meowed as she walked besides me back to camp. "So you're the oldest apprentice now." I meowed cheerfully. "Only by a few moons." I heard blackpaw mutter as he adjusted his grip on the squirrel.

I cuffed him behind his ear. "Ow!" He exclaimed dropping the squirrel. "Learn a little respect how many times do I have to tell you that? You only became an apprentice yesterday." I meowed as he picked up the squirrel. "Talk like that again and I'll tell tigerstar not to bring you to the gathering. "Yes starrywater." He meowed bowing his head. "You sure know how to handle that apprentice." Flowerpaw commented as blackpaw padded cheerily up to bush and sniffed it. "He'll be a good warrior but he needs to know his place sometimes." I meowed as I watched my apprentice practice a few fighting moves on a bush.

We could see some cats sitting outside the bramble tunnel as we approached the camp. It was the sunhigh patrol. Blackpaw stood up and pranced proudly towards the showing off his prize catch to the cats. One of them was his sister leafpaw who ran over to see the squirrel he had caught. "That squirrel is pretty big nice catch blackpaw." Sunwhisker congratulated the black tom. "It was his first catch." I meowed as me and flowerpaw approached the group of cats. "Impressive blackpaw." Littlefish meowed. "So when are you going to be ready starrywater?" She asked looking up at me. "I just have to drop off they freshkill into the freshkill pile and I'll be right out." I meowed. "Littlefish can I go on the patrol too?" Blackpaw asked. Littlefish examined blackpaw for a moment. "Sure why not?" She meowed.

"Go give the squirrel to the elders." I meowed to the black apprentice. "Yes starrywater." He meowed. He raced past me into the tunnel. I turned to follow him. "Well I'll see you later starrywater." Flowerpaw meowed as we walked into camp. "Yeah bye." I meowed dropping the prey into the freshkill pile. I walked back out of the tunnel to see the whole patrol (including blackpaw) waiting for me. "We'll go west and make our way around the island and then head to highrocks." Littlefish meowed to us. We nodded and started to walk.


	2. Chapter 2

As we walked sunwhisker fell into step besides me. "So how's training blackpaw?" He asked. "Is he giving you a hard time?" I looked at him and scoffed. "Blackpaw is fine! You saw that squirrel he caught earlier he's doing great right blackpaw!" I called out to the young tom. He turned with a look of pride glowing on his face from the compliment especially since it was from his mentor.

"So how's leafpaws training?" I asked. "She needs to work on her battle skills but overall she is doing fine." He meowed looking at his apprentice proudly. By now we had reached the northern tip of the island and were close to the east side. Blackpaw suddenly crouched and crawled forward. "What is he doing starrywater?" Littlefish meowed. "Shh." I meowed already knowing what he was stalking. We followed him to the river that separated the two islands in waterclan lake. He sat by the river peering cautiously in the water. He flicked his ears and plunged into the water. "Blackpaw!" Leafpaw exclaimed in surprise.

The patrol rushed to the edge of the river but I padded calmly toward the river. Blackpaw was on his back in the shallow bank of the river with a silvery flopping fish clenched between his jaws. "I told you I would teach you how to hunt fish tomorrow!" I meowed exasperatedly as I jumped in after him and helped him out. "Now you'll have to carry that fish the rest of the patrol until we get back to camp." Littlefish meowed. "Why can't we bury it like the other prey?" He asked shaking off his pelt. "Because fish have a stronger scent than other prey." I meowed. "That's why we usually catch fish last right?" Leafpaw asked.

"Right." Sunwhisker meowed. "Lets go we can't waste time." Littlefish meowed turning back to cross the river. I waited for a moment and launched myself into the river. "Starrywater!" Littlefish screeched in shock. "What I'm just having some fun." I giggled swimming around littlefish. She laughed. "You do this every time we have to cross a river." Sunwhisker chuckled. Blackpaw followed me by jumping in same as me. We all swam across the river to the second island.


	3. Chapter 3

"Lily? Where are you going?" Soot asked nervously. "Where do you think!" The tiger colored kit asked whirling around. "Your not running away again are you?" The kit asked shuffling its paws nervously. "I'm going to see dad and live with him in the clan mother told us about." Lily meowed turning away from her brother. "They'll keep finding you." Soot meowed quietly.

"They aren't gonna let us go." "Well our twolegs cant keep controlling us like this we deserve some freedom!" lily screeched. "And what about me and your brother if you leave?" A white she cat meowed as she walked in the nest. "You guys like the pampered life you'll be fine." Lily grumbled. The white cat sighed. "You know if the clan know he is your father they might shun him and that includes you too." The young striped kit stopped.

"I'll show them!" She meowed. "I'll make them think I'm a warrior they can count on." The white female cat sighed. "You might as well go with her soot." She meowed to soot. "But precious!" He meowed in alarm. "I'll take you into the forest and then your on your own." Precious meowed. "Yes!" lily meowed excitedly. Soot sighed. "Well I guess it sounds fun to live in a clan."

Suddenly precious swiped at soot and his collar broke. "That's how our housefolk always find you." Precious meowed as she swiped lily's collar off too. "How did you know that?" lily asked indignantly. "It doesn't matter since you wont be living here anymore." She meowed. "Come we have to get a head start so you can find the camp before night fall." She ran across the room and jumped onto a windowsill. She nuzzled the window open and slipped out. Her two kits followed closely behind her.


	4. Chapter 4

I trudged through the boggy area tiredly dragging leafpaw in my jaws by the scruff of her neck. "Sorry." She meowed for the third time. She had spotted a mouse and chased it over a small cliff and landed in the boggy area by the river that separated our islands from land outside the lake boundaries. Every one hadn't noticed until I turned to ask leafpaw what she smelled and she wasn't there. I tracked her scent and caught up to her chasing the mouse. But I was too late and she fell off three fox-lengths into the boggy ground. I had leaped in after her and started to drag her back.

"How do you walk through that stuff?" I heard leafpaw ask. "My legs are longer and stronger than yours." I mumbled still grabbing her fur in my mouth. "You'll learn how to do it once you're bigger and stronger." She was quiet for a moment. "How did you know I was gone? I wanted to surprise sunwhisker with a mouse since blackpaw caught a fish and surprised you." I purred with amusment. "I turned to ask if you smelled the mouse and see how good at tracking you were but you weren't there so I followed your scent and saw you stalking a mouse." I felt the ground starting to dry and harden under my paws.

I set leafpaw down and stretched my jaws. "You should be able to walk now." I meowed as I stepped forward. "We'll have to wait for the others at the great rocks since that's where they were heading." Leafpaw trotted beside me as we made our way to the great rocks. "Are you and sunwhisker really good friends?" Leafpaw mewed as we reached the river. "You could say that." I replied as I stepped in the river. I felt a bump on my leg and looked down to see a young kit uncouncious ant floating in the river. He was white with black ears and a black tailtip and one black paw.

"Leafpaw I meowed in alarm as I saw another one splashing frantically in a deeper part of the river. Leafpaw leaped forward and grabbed the white kit dragging him back to land. I swam to the one in the river splashing around trying to swim. My strong legs kicked as I grabbed her and started to swim back. When I reached the bank I saw leafpaw rubbing the other kit. The kit I was carrying writhed and thrashed trying to get free but her attempts got lazier and slower and eventually she stopped to exhausted to move. I laid her next to the other kit and licked her. She had a striped tiger colored pelt and a white bellie and paws.

I stopped licking her and laid beside her to help keep her warm. She snuggled into my flank still breathing heavily. "Where did these kits come from?" Leafpaw asked. I shook my head. "Do you think they are spirit clan kits?" She asked as her eyes lit up in alarm. Again I shook my head and looked at the kit. She seemed 4 moons old. 'Whats a kit so young doing in the river?' I thought. "Starrywater he's waking up!" leafpaw meowed. I turned to see the kit moving. He looked up at leafpaw in confusion then turned to me and then the kit cuddling my flank. "Lily!" He meowed standing up. He wobbled and fell again. "Careful." Leafpaw mewed balancing him with her tail.

"Get away from me you wild barbarians!" He shouted skiting out of reach from leafpaw. "We are jut trying to help you." She mewed calmly. "Help me! You've taken my sister as a hostage! Oh wait till mother hears about this you two are going to get in a lot of-" "SHUT UP YOUR GIVING ME A HEADACHE!" I screeched. He flinched and bowed his head. "Sorry." He murmured. His sister shuffled closer to me. I looked down at her and wrapped my fluffy smooth tail around her. "What should we do with them starrywater?" Leafpaw asked eyeing the male kit nervously. I turned to look at him. "What's your name?" I asked seriously. "I-I'm soot and that's lily my sister." He meowed nervously pointing at lily with his black tail.

"Ok I'll carry lily." I meowed as I stood up. "Wah! Where are we taking them starrywater?" Leafpaw asked. "Where else to the camp of course." I meowed picking up lily in between my jaws. I started walking towards the camp when soot ran in front of me. "This is abduction!" He yowled. I set lily down on the ground and walked towards him until I could feel his breath on my chest. "Abduction you say?" I asked intimidatingly. "Last I remember we rescued you and your sister." He stumbled backwards as I picked up lily and strode past him. Leafpaw followed close next to me. "Are you sure about this starrywater?" She whispered glancing backwards at soot who was following us looking around nervously. "So what clan are you from?" Leafpaw asked him. "Were not from any clans." He mewed. Me and leafpaw stopped. "I hadn't thought of that." I mumbled.

"Should we still take them to a camp?" Leafpaw asked. "Well we have to get cloudpool to look at them in case they are hurt." I meowed. "Then we can talk to the leader about them." I continued to walk back towards the camp. "What about the patrol?" Leafpaw asked. "They will have to find us at camp." I meowed readjusting my grip on lily. "Your to young to go into the forest alone still and you can't carry lily by yourself while soot follows you to camp." Leafpaw bowed her head. "I guess your right…" She murmured.

"I just don't want the others to worry about us. We reached the river that separated the two main islands. "We have to cross that?" I heard soot ask. I sighed and set lily down. I approached soot and slid my head under his bellie and adjusted him so he was clinging to my back. I picked his sister up by the scruff again and waded into the river. I felt the sharp sting of soots claws digging into my shoulders and smelled the sharp scent of his fear as the water reached my belly fur.

"W-where are you taking us?" He asked from his perch on my back. "You don't listen do you?" I meowed through a mouthful of fur. He shook his head. I sighed. "Were taking you to our camp so that cloudpool can look at you and see if your hurt." Leafpaw meowed from behind them. "Oh…" He said. He buried his head in my neck as the water got deeper and reached higher on my sides. "Do you not like water?" I asked. He shook his head. "I'm usually fine with it it's just…" He didn't say anything for a while. I reached the bank and set lily down to yawn. "Soot?" I asked as I turned my head to look at him. He was fast asleep. "I bet he's exhausted." Leafpaw mewed as she stepped out of the river. "Lets hope he stays that way till cloudpool is done looking at him." I meowed picking lily up again.

We walked in silence until we reached the owl tree when leafpaw asked "Wat if their mother abandoned them?" I turned to look at her. "Mothers would never do that." Just then sparkletail appeared from behind the owl tree. "Wow starrywater you leave camp with a patrol and come back with two unfamiliar kits and leafpaw." I nodded to her and continued towards the bramble tunnel. "So where did you find them? They look about three or four moons old." Sparkletail asked as she fell into step besides me. "We found them in the river on the way to great rocks." Leafpaw mewed as she walked on my other side.

"Well at least let me help you out in carrying them." She moewed as she grabbed soot off my back. He stirred and opened his eyes half way. "Mom?" He murmured. He looked at me and opened his eyes. "It's you." He meowed. "Oh? He's awake." Sparkletail mumbled. "Waah! Wh-who are you!" He shrieked as he wriggled to get out of her grasp. Sparkletail hissed and let him go as he swiped her nose. He hit the ground hard and hid behind my legs panting. "Don't worry soot this is a friend of mine." I purred with amusement. He glared at her for a moment. "This is sparkletail." Leafpaw mewed as she padded around us. "So she wont hurt us?" He asked accusingly. "I promise." I meowed. I walked to the bramble tunnel. "Our camp is this way!" Leafpaw meowed excitedly as her soft brown pelt disappeared in the tunnel. Soot followed after her and I padded after them. "Leafpaw take him to the medicine cat den I meowed as I made my way past her towards cloudpool's den.


	5. Chapter 5

"Who is this starrywater and why do they have no scent?" Cloudpool asked as I set lily down on a patch of trampled ferns in her den. Since silver leaf was exiled cloudpool had added an extra section of the medicine cat den by weaving undergrowth by the entrance so it made a tunnel into her den big enough to fit a fox. Along the sides were trampled ferns for sick cats to sleep. Cloudpool had told me when I asked her about it that the heather weaved into the tunnel will help soothe sick cats so she can look at them and that it lets in more light than a dark cave.

She examined soot as I explained how we had found them. "You two must have had a rough day huh?" Cloudpool meowed as she disappeared in the cave. She came back out a few moments later carry a leaf bundle of herbs. Soot watched as she mixed and chewed the herbs to make a poultice. "You hit your head and its bleeding a little and it seems you've broken your tail." She meowed as she rubbed the mixture behind his ear. "You'll have to stay here while it heals." She added when she was done.

Soot didn't seem alarmed that he had to stay. 'That's weird.' I thought watching as cloudpool worked on his tail. 'Was that what he wanted!' I thought in alarm. "Starrywater, cloudpool I brought tigerstar and flowerpaw." Leafpaw meowed as she appeared in the tunnel entrance with flowerpaw close behind. "Sorry cloudpool is there anything you want me to do?" Flowerpaw meowed. "Yes you can look at the other one." Cloudpool meowed sternly as she concentrated on soots tail. "Right!" She meowed as she rushed over to lily.

"So what's this I hear about you and leafpaw finding some kits in one of the rivers?" Tigerstar meowed as he entered the tunnel. He sat next to me waiting for me to explain. I explained to him what had happened. He listened and nodded as I told him. "So we have two kits who are either rouges or kittypets in waterclan right now because you and leafpaw found them in the river?" He asked. "They needed medical attention and they're only kits-" "Wait were in waterclan?" Soot asked interrupting me. We looked at him in confusion. "Yes why?" I meowed cautiously. "Me and lily were trying to find our father so we could join waterclan." He meowed.

Cloudpool and flowerpaw stopped what they were doing and looked at soot. Leafpaw was licking her paw when he had said this and stopped mid-lick flicking her green gaze on the white and black kit. "Your father is a waterclan warrior?" Tigerstar asked. Soot nodded. "And our mom was a flameclan cat but she was too soft for clan life so she became a rouge for a while but then she found a nest of two-legs and became a kittypet." We were all silent for a moment. "Leafpaw you are dismissed." Tigerstar meowed as she shuffled uncomfortably. She quickly bolted out of the tunnel.

"Soot…that's your name right?" Tigerstar asked. The small kit bobbed his up and down vigorously but suddenly winced as cloudpool kept working on his tail as if the white and black kit had said nothing. "Don't move or I wont get your tail straight." Cloudpool mumbled as she gently prodded his tail with her paw. "What's your mother's name?" Tigerstar asked. "precious." Lily meowed as she sat up. The dappled sunlight hit her pelt making her look more like a tiger kit instead of a normal kit. She was facing away from us but had her head turned so she was looking at us from the side. Her eyes examined us closely as we stared back. "How long have you been awake?" I asked as I sat next to her just in case if her reaction was the same as soot when he woke up. "I was in and out when you were carrying me here." She meowed as she looked up at me. "I woke up again when I heard you talking to cloudpool but I was to tired to move."

As if on cue the strength slowly started to drain out of her weak frame. I caught with my tail as she fell forward sinking into unconsciousness again. I leaned her against my flank as flowerpaw rushed into the cave and came out with a mouthful of cobweb. She dropped the pile and started to apply it to lily's side. "Lay her down here starrywater." Flowerpaw instructed. "She was bleeding from her side." She meowed as she held the cobweb in place. "But she'll be fine." She added when she saw my worried glance at her.

Suddenly snarling a yowling sounds came from outside the tunnel in the camp. "Starrywater come with me." Tigerstar meowed as he started for the tunnel. I followed him out into the evening light to see gentelfoot sparkeltail skyfur and thundertail surrounding something. "What's a kittypet doing here?" Skyfur spat. "Warriors!" Tigerstar yowled as he and I approached them. They backed away reluctantly. The smell of blood filled my nose as we approached the group of cats. 'Oh no.' I thought as I gazed in shock at the sight. Blackfur he waterclan deputy was lying motionless by the bramble tunnel. He was turned away but I could tell by the puddle of blood forming around his head that his neck had been slit. Next to him a white she cat stood with her fur poofed out and her back arched. "She killed blackfur!" Gentelfoot wailed. Cats gathered into the clearing to see what was going on.

A horrible wailing echoed around the camp as sugarpaw and leafpaw ran to their fathers dead body. "You better have a good reason for this!" I snarled at the she-cat. She had killed my apprentices father. She killed blackpaw leafpaw and sugarpaws father. Tigerstar waved his tail in front of me telling me to stop as I was about to leap at her. "Why are you here?" He asked the female cat. She turned to him. "Tigerpaw?" She meowed. "That's tigerstar kittypet!" I heard skyfur snarl. Tigerstar flicked his tail signaling for us not to speak. "I needed to see…" She meowed trying to look past us. She seemed distressed. 'Is this soot and lily's mother precious?' I thought. "The kits?" I asked. She stopped and looked at me.

"Who are you?" She asked. "I-" "Starrywater it's not your place to speak." Tigerstar meowed cutting me off. He turned to precious. "This is starrywater, one of my warriors." She examined me closely. "How did you know about soot and lily?" She asked. I looked at tigerstar and he nodded for me to answer. "I found them drowning in the river." I replied narrowing my eyes. Cats gasped and started murmuring. Precious looked around nervously. "And I took them here." I continued. She seemed relived after I told her this. "Starrywater look!" 'Oh no that's soots voice.' I thought as I turned. He was walking out of the tunnel with his tail raised to show off his tail wrapped in leaves. "This makes me look tuff huh?" He asked as he padded towards me happily. He noticed all the cats gathered around and looked at me questioningly.

"Whats going on?" He asked as he stopped walking. "Soot?" I heard precious. "Oh you're allright!" I didn't know what came over me at that moment. I heard her pawsteps as she approached him and panicked. I raced to soot and blocked him from her. I sat there spitting and snarling with my fur bristling. Every cat in the clearing seemed shocked including myself. She looked at me in shock as I pulled soot closer wrapping my tail around him. He didn't object as pushed his small frame in my flank. Then to make matters worse the sunhigh patrol came back.


	6. Chapter 6

Littlefish sunwhisker and blackpaw looked at the scene in confusion. Then blackpaw saw his father blackfur lying in a bloody puddle with his sisters silently crying and watching everything. He seemed to shocked to register blackfur's death because the first thing the patrol saw was me protecting an unfamiliar kit from another unfamiliar cat. "Starrywater?" Sunwhisker asked as he stepped towards me concerned. "Leave!" I snarled at precious. "But-" "I said leave!" I interrupted her.

She seemed hurt and took a step back. "A real mother would have been by the riverside looking for her kits if they fell into the river!" I hissed. "I didn't even catch your scent!" I guided soot back to the medicine cat den where cloudpool and flowerpaw were waiting outside the tunnel. He seemed shocked and scared. "Soot?" I crooned gently trying to calm him down. "There was so much blood…" He meowed. I knew precious heard this cause I heard her gasp. "Soot i-" She tried to meow to him. "I think its in every one's best interest that you leave." Tigerstar meowed as more warriors stepped forward growling.

"You know I'm going to be back." She meowed at him before leaving. "That's right kittypet run with your tail between your legs!" I heard thundertail yowl as I turned back to soot. A chorus of yowls followed as if they had won a battle with spiritclan. "Soot?" I asked again. He was still huddled in my flank. I guided him by his sister. He laid down by lily. I sat next to them ears pricked for any sign of precious coming back. It was a while before a cat other that cloudpool and flowerpaw came into the den. "Starrywater?" I jumped up alert because I was dosing off by then. "Is she back?" I asked frantically. "No it's me." Sunwhisker meowed as he padded into the den. "Oh." I meowed feeling ridiculous. I licked my chest to hide my embarrassment.

"Are you ok?" He asked. I snorted. "Nah im not the one who got thrashed around in a river." "I know but that was pretty weird." He commented. "I don't know I just reacted." I meowed indifferently flicking a fern with my paw. He watched me for a moment. "Please sunwhisker you worry too much!" I teased as I shifted my position so soot wasn't sleeping in my tail. "Well I guess by the way blackpaw is coming to the gathering tonight with us." I looked up at him. It was such a long day its hard to believe that at sunhigh me and blackpaw were talking about the gathering. "Good for him." I meowed cheerily.

Suddenly I heard tigerstars meeting yowl sound from outside. Me and sunwhisker stood up and padded outside to see what was going on. A knot formed in my throat when a saw blackfur's body positioned for vigil tonight. He looked like he was sleeping except for the fact he was missing the rising and falling of his flank to show he was breathing. "Cats of the clan after some thought I have choosen waterclans new deputy." Tigerstar announced. My ears pricked up in anticipation. 'Choose me. Choose me. Choose me.' I repeated in my head as I waited fo him to tell us who would be second in command. He watched the cats for moment before opening his mouth. 'This is it!' I thought excitedly. "Mossnose!" He shouted.

My ears fell flat in disappointment. Sunwhisker noticed this. "You wanted to be clan deputy?" He asked. "No" I sighed bowing my head. He looked at me in confusion. "I want to be clan leader. I want to help my clan and support it. I want cats to look up to me when they're in trouble so I can help them." I meowed looking up at the cats gathering in the center of the camp to say they're last farewell to waterclan's former deputy. I trotted up to blackfur's body. I saw his son, my apprentice bury his nose in his neck fur. I heard him whisper something that mad my blood run cold. "I promise to avenge your death." He stood up and walked to sit with the group of cats departing for the gathering. I bent down next to blackfur's muzzle. "He probably means it." I murmured. "I don't know if it's my business but I'm worried about him should I stop him?" I shook my muzzle lightly.

"Have a safe trip to starclan." I meowed. I stood and backed up so other cats could say they're goodbyes. "You okay starrywater?" I turned to see skyfur next to me. His white pelt pressed into mine. "I guess…" I meowed sadly as I watched fernfoot approach her mate with leafpaw and sugarpaw following. Blackpaw watched with a cold hard stare showing no emotion. His emerald eyes sparkled with bitterness as he watched his remaining family members settle to sit vigil with blackfur. I stood and walked to him. He looked up to see me coming. I sat next to him without a word. "He's dead." He meowed choking back a sob. He leaned into my side. "Your eyes are pretty strange looking." I meowed calmly.

He looked at me in confusion. I noticed the cats start walking out of the clearing either through the bramble tunnel or in their dens. "Don't let hatred rule your life." I meowed looking at him worriedly before standing and padding through the bramble tunnel. I emerged from the tunnel to be greeted by skyfur. "Another gathering huh?" He asked giving me his trademark grin. I smiled. "Race you to the front of the group." I challenged raising my rump in the air and shaking it back and forth. "Please your acting like a kit." He scoffed. I stood up confused. Skyfur always races me even now that we were warriors. I saw him glance at me and we both took of speeding through the undergrowth. "I knew you were lying!" I shouted as the vegetation whipped by past us.

"No you didn't I totally had you confused!" He boasted looking me. "Skyfur look-" I was interrupted by skyfur running into a nettle bush. Herd him screech in shock as he bursted through the patch of nettles. He skidded to a stop licking his pelt furiously trying to get the stinging plant off. I giggled watching him as he tried to get one on his back. I stopped him from spinning by tapping his nose with my tail. He went cross eyed as he stared at my silver tail tip. I chuckled as I got the nettle off. "Ah!" He sighed once it was gone. "Those stupid nettle bushes get me every time." He looked a me for a moment before we both bursted into a fit of giggles. I Turned and started to follow the scent of the group of cats that were traveling to the gathering. "This time lets watch where were going skyfur." I meowed. He shook his head. "Let's go!" He meowed. His blue eyes blazed with excitement. We took off again following our clan's scent.


	7. Chapter 7

By the time we had reached the group of traveling cats they were crossing the third river onto the mainland. Me and skyfur leaped in after them splashing around the water like excited kits. We stopped when thundertail screeched at us for being annoying. He was still scolding us when we entered the clearing. Me and skyfur made a break for it when thundertail was distracted by a cat greeting him. "Wow snowclan is actually on time." Skyfur whispered as snowclan cats entered the clearing.

"Yeah but were still waiting for shiningspirit and lightningflame from flameclan and spiritclan." I whispered back. We had befriended the two apprentices in gatherings before this one. We had just heard that lightningflame became a warrior two gatherings ago. Shiningspirit became a warrior around the same time me and skyur did. The ginger she-cat had a big temper and isn't afraid to hold back or ignore a challenge. The silvery gray tom was a little whack in the head but he was as loyal as any cat to his clan. "Ugh." I heard skyfur groan. Then I smelled spiritclans sickly sweet scent. "I smell it too." I mumbled flattening my ears.

Waterclan and spiritclan were supposed to be the two clans that couldn't stand each other. That's why I've been guessing why they smell so bad. "Hey guys." Shiningspirit meowed as he approached. Skyfur nodded trying to not smell the cat. "Hey." I meowed. "I swear how can you guys stand getting wet?" He meowed sniffing our fur. Me and skyfur looked at each other just noticing that we were still wet. "I guess we get used to it." I meowed sheepishly. "Well that seems to be the case." I heard some one sneer behind me. "Lightningflame!" Skyfur meowed excitedly. I looked at him weirdly before turning and greeting the flame colored she-cat. "So flamey wats up?" I meowed teasingly.

She growled at the nickname I had given her when she received her warrior name. "You know better than to call me that you heap of wet fur." She snarled hiding a giggle when I jumped back and raised my rump challengingly at her. "Bleh! Flamey wants a battel?" I meowed sticking my tongue out at her. Skyfur cracked up and joined me in teasing her while shiningspirit smiled watching us.

"What's that about lightningflame and starrywater fighting?" A black and white cat meowed as he padded in between us hiding a snicker. "Outta the way tallcloud!" Lightningflame meowed as she tried to get past the big tom. He was taller than most cats hence his name and was lightningflame's right hand cat. His pelt was white with black patches splattered over. He had bright blue eyes too. "Yeah tallcloud I have to teach this kit a lesson!" I meowed puffing out my chest looking up at the intimidating cat before me.

A yowl sounded from the rock where the leaders usually stood on to address the clans. I looked up to see the four leaders standing silently on the rock. Tigerstar stood patiently but his eyes seemed glazed as if he wasn't paying attention. Darkstar and graystar watched lightstar as she stepped forward. "Our clan is healthy and growing with two new litters of kits and a new warrior." She meowed. "Silvertail!" We all yowled our approval. She waited for it to be quiet before continuing. "But we have some prey stealers in our territory." She meowed in a low voice.

"What is she talking about?" "Who?" "In our territory too?" I heard cats whisper as I watched the leaders. Darkstar and graystar looked at her stunned while tigerstar focused his gaze on her. 'Maybe he was listening after all.' I thought. "And who exactly are you accusing of this crime?" He asked. She turned to him. "Your clan."


	8. Chapter 8

"Waterclan isn't prey stealers!" I yowled angrily standing up pelt bristling. Every cat in the clearing looked at me. "Yeah!" Skyfur yowled backing me up. "We would rather eat crowfood than steal spiritclan's prey." Tigerstar looked at us in shock and then quickly gained his composure as me and skyfur weaved our way towards the leaders.

"Starrywater your making a scene." Mossnose whispered to me as I approached. I reared on her angrily not only for stopping me but I blamed her for getting the deputy position instead of me. 'Why did she get it?' I thought. 'I work way harder and I fully support and protect my clan with my whole heart.' I snarled at her. "I will not sit here and be accused of stealing prey!" A flicker of fear passed in her eyes as she took a step back from me.

"Starrywater." I looked up at tigerstar. He was looking at me sternly. "Again it is not your place to speak." I flattened my ears and snarled but obeyed. "And do you have any proof of this crime you accuse waterclan of?" He asked turning to lightstar. The light ginger leader huffed and continued. "We have caught scent of waterclan cats in our territory." "That's not enough proof!" I hissed. Tigerstar waved his tail to silence me.

I growled but sat down. "Well that is a mistake because I know my warriors are to proud to hunt in your territory." He meowed glancing at me. I flickered my ears to show I was paying attention. "Whatever the case this is the only warning I shall give." She meowed. Tigerstar dipped his head to her as she stepped back to let graystar speak. He announced new apprentices and a fox scent around their side of the four rocks. I made a mental note to ask cleo about it next time I saw her. By the time tigerstar came up to speak I was half asleep but quickly shook it off as he opened his mouth to speak. "Our clan is well." He started.

Then a cat in the back yowled. "Yeah on spiritclans prey!" I snarled but tigerstar just ignored him. "We have three new apprentices and prey is still running in our own territory." His gaze flickered to lightstar and back to the other cats. "And a patrol chased of a badger a few days ago." He meowed turning to darkstar. "It ran off in the direction of your territory." Darkstar bowed his head. "Thankyou for the warning tigerstar." Suddenly the clearing got dark as a cloud covered the moon announcing the end of the gathering. Cats slowly split off into their own clans. I bounded over to tallcloud and lightningflame. "See next gathering." I meowed. "Yeah maybe then I'll be able to claw of your fur." She teased before padding off with tallcloud in tow after a curt nod.

I turned to follow my clan back home when shiningspirit blocked my path. "You weren't gonna leave without saying goodbye to me right?" He asked cheerily. "Yeah well your leader doesn't seem to like it." I meowed looking at lightstar. He followed my gaze to see lightstar watching us with disapproval. "Oh well bye." He meowed. I nodded to him as he joined his clan. "You should learn to control your temper." A voice meowed as a soft pelt pressed into mine. I drank in sunwhisker's scent as I held my muzzle next to his. "I don't like to be wrongly accused." I meowed dreamily as I felt a purr rise from my chest.

"Are you two love birds going to stand there all night?" Skyfur meowed teasingly as he nudged me to move forward. "Im not a kit I can walk!" I meowed in shock. We reached the river together and started to wade across. "Something on your mind?" Sunwhisker asked. "Uh yeah how did you know?" I meowed looking at him. His golden coat was glinting in the moonlight as he walked through the clear smooth water next to me.

His muscles strongly pushed againt the lazy current. He watched me with blue eyes clearer than ice. "You usually jump in." His voice was velvety smooth like water gliding over rocks. "Nevermind.' I smiled as I leaned into him drowning my nose in his scent again. He seemed a little surprised but quickly relaxed. We reached the camp exhausted. As we headed into the warriors den I left sun whisker for a moment and padded to mossnose. She saw me coming from a few pawsteps away and came to greet me halfway.

Before opened her mouth to speak I bowed my head. "I apologize for the way I acted it will never happen again." I waited for her to respond. She didn't speak. I started to raise my head but a paw on my neck stopped me. "Don't raise your head yet." I herd her meow. "Im not ready to forgive you yet." I stayed still. She kept her paw on my neck. We sat there for a moment before she removed her paw. "Im sorry too." I raised my head to see her green eyes sparkling. "Why?" I asked. "I stopped you from defending our clan." She meowed. "Don't apologize for that." I chuckled. "If you hadn't I would have jumped on that rock myself and clawed lightstars eyes out." She smiled. "Im sure you would have." She flicked my ear with her tail. "Go on your mate is waiting." I looked at her in confusion and turned to see sunwhisker waiting by the warriors den entrance.

I blushed as I turned back to mossnose and bowed my head to hide it. Her whiskers quivered with amusement as I bolted to sunwhisker. We padded into the den together and fell asleep side by side nuzzling each other. And again I met my mother.

_Starrywater? I opened my eyes to see blue sky and soft clouds. I was in the center of the clan camp lying flat on my back. I felt like the wind was knocked out of me as I tried to stand up. All around me cats were going about their normal duties. Suddenly screeching sounded from the clan entrance and a cat I had never seen bolted into the camp._

"_Waterstar quick!" I turned to see my mother padding through a group of more unfamiliar cats. "Mom! I thought you were dead!" I meowed in shock. She didn't pay any attention to me and walked right past. "What is it stormpaw?" She asked. "It's spiritclan they-" Before he could finish an army of cats stormed into camp. They attacked our warriors and a battle started. One brown colored tom leaped at me. I didn't have time to avoid him and braced myself for his sharp claws to rake down my pelt._

_But he passed right through me. "Huh?" I meowed in confusion. I turned to see the tom leaping at a young she-cat apprentice. She was brown with lighter sandy colored patches an ice blue eyes. She looked like a younger version of patchpelt. I leaped at the tom to stop him but again I went right through him. I heard snarling and saw the apprentice called stormpaw swatting away the tom. The brown cat squealed and ran out of the camp. "Are you okay patchpaw?" Stormpaw asked the other apprentice._

_She nodded her head and they both ran off to battel more cats. Patchpaw? I thought. Is this an illusion or something? "No." I turned to see my mother sitting calmly watching me. "This is a past event from waterclan, when I was still leader." "What?" I meowed. Then the scene changed and me and my mother were in the strawberry fields. "Is that why spiritclan and waterclan are enemies?" I asked. She shook her head. Its because of a certain kittypet. I cocked my head to the side. "A kittypet started it?" She nodded._

_A female kitty pet wanted to see what would happen if she started a war. The scene changed again to show the inside of a bush-like den. A small white cat was talking to a dark silvery tom. "I heard that you lost a kit is that true?" The white one asked. The tom only gazed at her. "What of it cloudy?" He asked. Cloudy shook her head. "Well you know how your clan asked me to spy on waterclan for you?" He nodded. "I don't really approve of it but yes." "Well." Cloudy meowed._

"_I saw two waterclan cats by the river today and when I got closer they were standing over a kit that very much matched the description of the one you lost." "Orangekit!" The tom exclaimed. "Calm down spiritstar let me finish." She meowed gravely. He flattened his ears a stared at her. "Well they were discussing what to do with it when the caught spiritclan scent on it." She paused and watched spiritstar for a moment then her voice got real low. "Then without warning they killed the kit." She meowed bowing her head. Spiritstar seemed torn after hearing this. "But…how.." He was wheezing for breath now. He bowed his head as silent tears streamed down his muzzle and hit the cold hard ground. Then a low growl sounded from his throat. "Lightfang." He whispered._

_Then a cat walked through me from behind. 'She was so quiet I didn't even notice her!' I thought as I watched the she cat cross the den. Then my breath hitched. It was lightstar the leader of spiritclan. Well…not yet anyway. "Ready some warriors to attack the waterclan camp." "But-" She started to meowed but spiritstar interrupted her with a low sharp growl. She bowed her head. "Yes spiritstar." She meowed then left. The scene changed and I was in front of the river that separated the islands in the lake. On the other side of the river I saw cloudy grinning evily at a soft ginger lump of fur at her feet. Then she unsheathed her claws and raised her paw. "No!" I screeched but it was too late. She swiped the kit. It made a sickening shriek before going limp._

I jumped as I felt a paw nudging me. A tail softly tapped my mouth to silence. It was still night. The moon was hidden by a cloud making the warriors den incredibly dark. The cat guided me out into the camp clearing. A cold leaf fall wind blasted me as I stepped out of the warriors den. "Starrywater are you ok?" It was sunwhiskers voice. "Your crying." I wiped my paw over my muzzled and found warm tears still streaked down my muzzle. "Was it a bad dream?" He asked. I only nodded and buried my head into his warm fur. He didn't say anything and started to lick my tear-streaked muzzle. I looked around at the camp images of a bloody and torn camp flashing in my mind. I started to tremble. "I don't want to be here." I whispered so quietly I could barely hear myself.

"What?" Sunwhisker asked. "Starrywater?" My blood turned to ice as I heard a voice that wasn't sunwhiskers. I felt my fur bristle and my claws dig into the dirt. 'The voice is behind me' I thought. 'More blood, it hurts.' I heard a pawstep behind me. I was terrified my fur standing on end. "What wrong?" I heard the voice ask. 'I've heard that voice before.' "Starrywater answer me!" 'Where have I heard that voice before?' I thought wincing as I tasted blood in my mouth. "Starrywater?" I felt the mystery cat rub against my flank as they moved in front of me. I squeezed my eyes shut. Images of the battle I saw in my dream showed vividly from under my eyelids. I snapped my eyes open and stared hard at the ground.

"It hurts." I whispered. "Huh?" The mystery cat asked. I took a step back. The cat followed me and nuzzled my side. 'Cloudy!' I turned on the cat with claws sharp and ready. 'That's cloudy's scent!' The cat squealed. "Starrywater!" Sunwhisker's voice. I turned my head towards him. "I'm scared." I sobbed before collapsing with exhaustion. My sleep were blissfully dark with no dreams to disturb me.


	9. Chapter 9

I shifted my position as I started to wake up. Something cool and damp was pressed to my face. It was bright wherever I was so I didn't open my eyes. I groaned. "Cloudpool!" I heard someone meow. "She's waking up." "Soot?" I asked trying to open my eyes. It was blurry at first but as m eyes focused I recognized soots black ant white pelt. I smiled at him. "How are you doing bud?" I tried to meow casually. "Hi starrywater I'm fine bt on the other case…" "I feel like I got smashed on a thunderpath." I meowed.

"Cloudpool should I wake sunwhisker?" I lifted my head and saw lily sitting in front of cloudpool as she watched her shuffle through some herbs. "No he's been by her side ever since he brought her in yesterday night." "I've been asleep for a whole day?" I groaned sitting up. "You needed it." Cloudpool meowed as she picked a herb and sat next to me.

"You had a fever and a runny nose and you were shaking a lot." She pushed my shoulder down so that I was lying on my belly. "And you have gotten pretty weak." I swerved my head around. I was in the tunnel of the medicine cat den. "You said sunwhisker was here?" I asked. She pointed her tail by my hind legs. I looked over and saw sunwhiskers golden pelt rising and falling in time to his breathing. He was faced away from me so I couldn't see his face. "He's finally fell asleep when the dawn patrol left this morning." She meowed.

"You sure gave him and lily a scare when you collapsed." "Lily?" I asked. "Yeah she was there with him- Soot! Don't you touch those herbs!" Soot slinked back to his nest when he heard her. "Where's lily?" I asked trying sit up again. Cloudpool pushed me down. "Don't worry she's here." She meowed. "Lily?" I asked. She stepped towards me from the cave. "I-" I started but she stopped me by waving her tail. "I know it's okay. You weren't feeling well so I understand." She nuzzled my cheek accepting my apology.

"Here." Cloudpool meowed sliding a mixture of herbs and berries towards me. I lapped up the berries making a face at their bitter taste. Lily and soot giggled. My stomach made an audible growl as I licked the bitter taste off my muzzle. "I'll get you something." Cloudpool meowed as she stood. "Get something for sunwhisker too please I think he'll wake up soon." I asked her. She nodded and disappeared through the tunnel opening. I laid my head down and sighed. "Starrywater?" I looked up and saw lily still next to me. "Who's cloudy and waterstar and stripestar?" I looked at her in confusion.

Cloudpool could have told her who my mother and father were but how did she know about cloudy? "You were calling out in your sleep for your mom and waterstar the most but you also called out for stripestar and sunwhisker too." "It's nothing." I meowed rolling on my back. "So do you know what tigerstar is going to do with you guys?" I asked. Soot bounced up and ran to me excitedly. "He said once were old enough he'll make us apprentices and give us new names. "That's great." I meowed to them. "It's too bad I'm already blackpaw's mentor I would love to have one of you as an apprentice." They brightened up at the compliment and sat there talking with me until cloudpool arrived with fresh kill. My mouth watered as she dropped a plump winter rabbit by me.

I licked my lips as I finished the rest of the rabbit and rolled on my back. I felt much better now. I started to give myself a thorough grooming. Sunwhisker moved and woke next to me as I started to wash my muzzle. He seemed tired and dazed at first then a look of confusion crossed his face as he looked down to see a starling. He looked at me as I watched him while grooming myself. He tackled me with glee once he realized I was awake. He licked me furiously as I squirmed and giggled from underneath him. I used my hindpaws and gently pushed him off. As I sat up he held his muzzle against mine. "Thank starclan." He whispered. I smiled and pressed my muzzle closer drinking in his scent.

"Are you okay?" He asked not moving away from me. I pressed my body closer to his and murmured a small yes. "I was scared." He whispered. "It's okay now." I meowed. "Don't do that again." He licked a tuft of fur on my cheek. "I love you." I meowed. He looked at me. "I love you too." "Awwwwwww!" I turned to see flowerpaw leafpaw runningstream and goldensun standing in the tunnel entrance watching. I blushed. "You guys better tell me you're here other than to watch me and sunwhisker or I'll claw your fur off!" "Told you she'd be mad." Skyfur meowed. Padding over and sitting beside's me. "Starrywater!" Squirrelkit and dapplekit shouted bounding into the tunnel followed by morninglily and hornfur.

"We all came when cloudpool told us you were awake." Sparkletail meowed as she and sandear also came in. My mother runningstream licked my head. "We were all worried about you." "Geez guys I'm okay." I meowed sheepishly. "Yes but you should get your strength back. Cloudpool told us you were still weak." Sandear meowed. "Please." I boasted standing up. Right now I can take down two cats at once." Everyone laughed.

"Yes I'm sure you can." Hornfur chuckled. "I think she can and I'll help!" Squirrelkit meowed stalking my tail. He leaped at it. Suddenly my vision blurred. I felt dizzy like I was going to throw up. I stumbled and sat down. "Starrywater?" Sunwhisker asked. Suddenly I was seeing an image of cloudy standing over the dead kit. The she cat then crossed the river towards the island that held waterclans camp, washing away the crimson blood on her paw. I sucked in a breath. I was back in the medicine cat den with everyone anxiously watching me. Sunwhisker was calling my name over and over. I looked at my mate then stood and walked out of the den without saying anything. Sunwhisker chased after me.

"Starrywater where in starclan are you going?" He asked keeping pace besides me. A drop of cold water hit my nose. I looked up at the sky. Dark clouds covered the sky and it started to rain.


	10. Chapter 10

**Sunwhisker's POV**

I looked up at the sky and back at starrywater. Her eyes were blank and had lost their usuall happy shine. Now they were dull and dark as the clouds. "Starrywater?" I asked. She didn't seem to hear me and continued to walk out of the camp. Her lips quivered as she whispered to herself. I strained my ears to listen but she was too quiet. I kept hearing names like cloudy and waterstar. "Starrywater?" I meowed quietly. She kept walking past the owl tree. "Starrywater!" I shouted blocking her path. Then lightning flashed above us. This seemed to snap her out of the trance. "Sunwhisker?" she asked in confusion.

Then the thunder sounded. She screeched in terror and cowered. Then I remembered she was terrified of thunder and lightning. I realized it when we were taking shelter in the warriors den one night. She had been cowering and crying. Some lightning flashed above us again and starrywater yelped. A cold blistery wind picked up and buffeted us as I tried to get her to stand and walk.

She pressed into my side as I led her in the direction I thought camp was. Suddenly a figure much to big to be a cat appeared. "I know a safe place follow me!" It barked. I stood my ground. The rain and wind blurred my vision so I couldn't see the animal. "Do you want to stay out here with starrywater in that condition!" It shouted. I looked over and saw starrywater had fainted. I grabbed the scruff of my mate's neck and followed the animal. I didn't have much other choice because I had no idea where I was. The cold rian pelted my honey golden coat at I trudged after the animal. The trees look eerie as the wind bent the branches and whistled through them. Then a huge object loomed before me. The animal just walked into it. As I got closer I saw it was a cave big enough to fit the whole clan.

As I entered the cave I saw a pool of water in one corner and a whole patch of flattened grass. I stopped in my pawsteps and my fur stood on end. By the patch of grass was a bright orange fox. Its fur was sopping wet and it was staring at me intently. I felt starrywater stir. The fox saw this and started to walk towards us. I backed up as it got closer. "Back off!" I yowled at it. My voice echoed around the cave as the fox stopped. I was panting with fear now. The fox sat down. "You both are soaked, you'll get a cold if you don't clean off." I was stunned. A fox had just spoke to me and I could understand it perfectly.

"I wont hurt you or starrywater." She watched me intently waiting for my answer. "Alright." I gave in. I was exhausted and the chance of me escaping with starrywater was pretty low. I dragged starrywater closer. She got up and grabbed starrywater by the scruff of her neck. I hesitated and then followed the fox as it set my mate down on the grass. I started to lick her and groom her while keeping an eye on the fox. It went to a far corner in the cave and shuffled around before pulling some grass out and placing it by the flattened patch of grass.

Once I finished grooming starrywater I looked up and asked. "How do you know starrywater?" It looked at me before replying. "She is my friend." This confused me. I mean sure starrywater easily made friends with just about anyone but a fox? "I knew her mother before she died." It told me. "You knew waterstar?" I asked. It nodded. I started to relax a bit but still kept my eye on her as I started to give myself a thorough grooming. Once I finished starrywater stirred and opened her amber eyes. "Where am I?" She asked. Her voice was hoarse and she looked tired like she hadn't slept in moons.

She looked at me. "Are we home?" I shook my head. She sat up and leaned into me. She was shaking badly. I flicked her ear with my tail. "Were okay I think." I meowed. She turned her head and looked around at the cave. "Where are we?" She asked. "Your in my home." The fox answered pulling more grass from the corner of the cave. "Cleo!" Starrywater exclaimed excitedly. "Cleo?" I asked as my mate bounded to the fox. "Wow! You live here?" She asked. Cleo chuckled and nodded.

I padded over and sat next to starrywater. "How did we get here?" She asked. "You don't remember?" I asked her. She shook her head. "All I remember is being in the medicine cat den fainting and then when I woke up it was raining and I was outside with you." Cleo tilted her head. "Are you sick starrywater?" Starrywater grinned and shook her head. "Nah I'm fine." I watched her curiously as she talked to cleo. _Is starrywater lying about being sick?_


	11. Chapter 11

Me and sunwhisker slept side by side together while cleo laid next to us and wrapped her tail around our smaller frames. I felt like a kit again. I snuggled into sunwhisker's side and sighed contently. I yawned as I slipped into unconsciousness.

_I was in the waterclan camp. A battle raged around me and with a start I realized it was the same battle cloudy started. Waterstar and spiritstar were attacking each other viciously. "Why did you kill her?" Spiritstar yowled in agony as my mother raked her claws down his back. "Who?" My mother asked as she dodged his paw. "My kit!" He screamed. I was frozen in fear as I watched the scene. Then everything melted away into darkness. I was standing alone scared stiff. "I don't want to see these visions anymore make them stop!" I called out. Then I was in the forest. Two cats were facing each other. I recognized one as cloudy. The other was bright orange with black stripes. "Tigerpaw are you sure?" Cloudy asked. "Tigerpaw? Is that tigerstar as an apprentice?" Tigerpaw nodded. "I'm a clan cat and you're a kittypet were not meant to be." Cloudy sighed. "Okay but if you ever change you mind I'll wait for you." He shook his head. "Don't make false promises precious." "What!" I shouted looking from tigerpaw to cloudy. "Precious is cloudy?" Precious sighed. "You're the only cat I love tigerpaw I promise I won't fall in love with any other cat." Tigerpaw stood and turned away. "Please tigerpaw!" Precious called out. Tigerpaw ignored her and kept walking._

I opened my eyes to sunlight streaming into the cave. Sunwhisker was already up and sitting by the entrance. He was looking outside the cave. I padded silently up behind him and rested my chin on his shoulder. "What's up?" I asked sleepily. He turned his head and nuzzled me. "Nothing." I sat next to him and looked outside. I gasped. "No way!" I said as I looked across a white landscape. The ground was covered in a layer of snow. "It's so pretty." I said as I trotted outside. I spun around taking everything in. I heard sunwhisker chuckle and I turned to see him smiling as he watched me. "We should get back to camp." He murmured in his velvety smooth voice. "What about cleo?" I asked. "Before she left to hunt I told her we had to go back." He said leading me towards the forest.

We walked along silently following the river. The water was still running but was icy cold. As we walked I kept sneaking glances at sunwhisker. His golden pelt was smooth and soft. It gleamed whenever the winter sun hit it. His icy blue gaze flickered to me and back forward. "What?" He asked smiling. "Nothing." I said leaning against him. "There they are!" We looked to our left to see mossnose, blackpaw, leafpaw, littlefish, and thundertail. They surrounded us asking questions and checking us over. "We didn't see you since you walked out of camp with sunwhisker following you!" Leafpaw exclaimed. "Yeah and tigerstar wouldn't let us look for you because of the storm!" Blackpaw growled. I staggered bit and sat down feeling dizzy. "Sorry." I said as sunwhisker braced me against him.

"We got to get you two back to camp." Mossnose said. "Yes thank you captain obvious!" Blackpaw snapped already helping me up. I cuffed his ear. "How many times do I have to tell you blackpaw?" I said looking at my apprentice sternly. "Sorry starrywater, mossnose." He said flantening his ears in annoyance. I stood and trotted forward. "Camp's this way starrywater." Mossnose chuckled. I turned indignantly and headed back to camp. "I knew that!" I exclaimed as I walked past her. I heard more chuckling as the group followed me. "So where exactly did you guys stay for shelter?" Leafpaw asked catching up to me. "Me and sunwhisker looked at each other. "Uhh….well." "Leafpaw don't ask them so many questions." Mossnose said. Then she turned and winked at me. I blushed as I understood what she meant. "No it's not like that!" I whispered to her. "Riiight." She said smirking before leading the patrol past the owl tree. 'Oh dear that rumor is going to spread faster than a fire in the camp' I thought as I glanced at sunwhisker. He just shrugged and kept walking. 'Is he actually okay with it!' I thought watching him. Then thundertail bumped into him.

**Sunwhisker's POV**

"So you and starrywater alone last night eh?" Thundertail said as he smirked at me. "It's not like that and you know it." I whispered flattening my ears in annoyance. I did not want to talk about this with thundertail. "Maybe, maybe not but you guys aren't in a position to fight back." He said chuckling. "What do you mean?" I asked. "Have you noticed starrywater gaining some weight lately?" He asked the smirk still plastered on his face. 'You just fell right into that one didn't you sunwhisker?' I thought to myself. "No I'm serious me and a few other cats are noticing it now and the other day when me and morninglily were talking about it she said I know a queen when I see one" He mimicked morninglily's meow. I glanced back at starrywater. It was barley noticeable but there was some extra weight on her belly. "So we…" I looked at thundertail. He grinned at me.

"It isn't that noticeable yet so I get why your now figuring it out." Littlefish said as she padded forward on my other side. "So starrywater.." Thundertail chuckled at my shock. "I don't even think starrywater knows yet." Littlefish meowed. "Know what?" Starrywater asked from behind us. "She's all yours man." Thundertail snickered as him and littlefish slinked away. "What were you guys talking about?" Starrywater asked gazing at me with those big amber eyes. "Uh…" I said. I tripped. I stood up quickly and faced forward. He laughed. I blushed bright red and kept walking. "Well uh… have you been feeling different lately?" I asked. "Strangly?" She asked. I turned my face away. "No why?" She asked trying to see my face.

**Starrywater's POV**

Sunwhisker didn't look at me. "If anyone is acting strange right now it's you." I said. "Wha…" He said finally facing me. He was blushing bright red under his fur. I heard littlefish and thundertail snicker behind us. "GET LOST MOUSEBRAINS!" I screeched at them. They quickly scurried away. I turned back to sunwhisker. He was looking away from me again. "What is with you?" I asked. "What's with me?" He asked " What's wrong with you! Are you really that oblivious that you cant tell that your pregnant!" Everyone stopped and stared at me. I stared at sunwhisker. "Pregnant?" I asked. Then thundertail and littlefish burst in a fit of laughter.

"Is this a prank?" I asked. "No most of the camp knows it." I turned to see flowerpaw and cloudpool walking towards us. "No way starrywater's gonna have kits!" Leafpaw asked excitedly. "If we all don't die of the cold out here I'm freezing!" Blackpaw meowed. "You're going to have to move in the nursery soon." Mossnose meowed looking at me. I was in a haze of confusion. 'Pregnant? Pregnant… what does pregnant mean? Baby kits in my belly! Sunwhisker's kits? Am I happy about this? Holy starclan kits in my belly!' These thoughts kept going over and over in my head as we reached the entrance to camp.

I walked through the tunnel behind mossnose. "Starrywater!" Squirrlekit and dapplekit raced towards me. "Where have you two been?" Sparkletail asked following them. "Thank starclan you two are safe!" Runningstream sighed with relief. I stumbled in a daze towards the warriors den. I just wanted to be somewhere quiet so I could think. "Wrong den starrywater." Cloudpool called out. I looked back. All the cats minus squirrelkit and dapplekit were sitting where they greeted me watching in confusion. I sighed. Dapplekit and her brother stuck beside me. They followed me as I walked towards the nursery. 'I guess the_ whole_ clan didn't know.' I thought as I heard noises of shock surprise and excitement. Morninglily and cloudpool followed me into the nursery to help get me settled in.


	12. Chapter 12

I yawned and stretched. I opened my eyes and for a moment I didn't remember where I was. I turned to see morninglily licking dapplekit. 'Oh that's right I'm in the nursery' Yesterday was super hectic. Not only am I pregnant with kits but after I got a nest in the nursery I remembered how. It was after I had found out my mother was waterstar and sunwhisker followed me to the strawberry fields. I glared at a piece of feather in my nest. I missed him sorely. I liked sleeping next to him in the warriors den better. I licked my fur. I looked down at my stomach. How could I not notice until yesterday. But they were sunwhisker's kits. I licked my stomach. The thought of me having his kits was really exciting. I sat up and groomed my fur. Then the reeds blocking the den door rustled as a cat walked in. "Hi starrywater." Skyfur said cheerily. "Skyfur." I meowed. "So how's pregnant life?" He teased. As if on cue my stomach rumbled. We both laughed.

"I haven't been in here long enough to know." I said after we stopped laughing. "Why are you here anyway?" I asked. "I'm not allowed to visit my best friend?" He asked in a mock hurt voice. We giggled. "I just got done with the dawn patrol." I nodded and hen both our stomach's growled. He flattened his ears sheepishly. "I haven't eaten since last night." I chuckled. "Me either lets go get breakfast." I meowed. We padded out of the den together. I flattened my ears as a cold winter breeze blew by. The camp area had ben cleared of snow so cats could walk. "You must be one of the best hunters." I said as we approached the fresh kill pile. "Huh?" He asked plucking a skinny sparrow off the pile. "Well your fur is so white you blend in with the snow pretty well." He shook his head. "Nope wishcloud is better cause she actually knows how to use her camoflauge." He explained as I grabbed a mouse. "Really?" I asked as we sat by the nursery opening.

He took a bite out of his sparrow. "Yeah and because we blend in so well tigerstar sends us out for the hunting patrol's most of the time." I chewed a piece of my mouse while he talked. "And how is it?" I asked after swallowing. He looked at me in confusion. "You know does she irk you or is she quiet and leaves you alone?" I asked gulping down more mouse. "Well she's kind of shy but we get along pretty well I mean we can do some great tag team hunting." He said chewing his sparrow thoughtfully. Then a hunting patrol entered the camp. Wishcloud dropped two water voles in the pile. Me and skyfur finished our meal as wishcloud turned back to the tunnel. "Where are you going?" Dirtclaw asked. "I'm going to hunt more." She replied. I nudged skyfur. He looked at me and saw my smile. He smiled back and jumped up. "I'll go with you wishcloud." He meowed padding towards them. "That's a good idea." Wishcloud meowed. "Thankyou skyfur." I watched as they both trotted out of camp together. I rolled on my back and stretched. I shivered as the cold seeped in through my pelt. I felt someone next to me and opened my eyes to see sunwhisker watching me.

I rolled over on my belly. His expression was unreadable as he watched me sit up. He looked away. "Are you…mad at me?" He asked. "Why would I be mad at you?" I asked. "Well when I told you yesterday about…" He glanced my belly. "I didn't really be nice about it." He was blushing now. 'A shy sunwhisker is a cute sunwhisker.' I thought as we sat there. I pounced on him. He was under me looking confused and bewildered. "Starrywater?" He asked. I giggled. "Sunwhisker I am mad at you and will never talk to you again." I meowed. I licked his cheek. "I love you." I stood up indignantly and tried my best to act mad as I sat back down. He sat close next to me. "Thanks." He said. I opened one eye and looked at him.

He seemed incredibly relieved and was looking at me lovingly. I smiled. "If your quite done." A voice meowed from behind us. I shot in the air scared stiff. I whirled around fur bristling. Sunwhisker just seemed a little surprised. Tigerstar watched us whisker's twitching with amusement. "Great starclan you scared me to death!" I shrieked. "Sorry but shouldn't be supporting the clan right now?" He asked sunwhisker. "Sorry." He meowed sheepishly before joining a group of warriors. "They're yours aren't they? Soot and lily?" I asked becoming very serious. "I should have known you would figure it out you're a smart cat starrywater." I nodded. "So when are they becoming apprentices?" He sighed. "I was hoping to make blackpaw a warrior and have you mentor one of them but now that your in your position I'm clueless on who I'm going to have mentor them.

I watched the warriors leave to go on the sunhigh patrol. "Rockclaw would be to rough on them because he expects a lot out of apprentices and thrushear would be too gentel with them because they are kittypets." I meowed. "Then who do you suggest?" Tigerstar asked. "Mossnose would be too busy for an apprentice but skyfur would be good for lily." Tigerstar looked at me. "Why?" "Because he is patient and can put her in her place if she is out of line and he is fair." Tigerstar nodded. "Okay then what about soot?" He asked. "Soot is more gentle than lily so he needs a mentor that doesn't work him to hard but also doesn't slack in his training." Tigerstar nodded. "So who do you suggest?" He asked. "Littlefish." He nodded "I see good choices starrywater." He stood to leave. "Also tigerstar?" He turned to look at me. "Blackpaw and his sister's aren't ready to be warriors yet so keep up their training." He nodded. "I would like thundertail to mentor him for me too." He chuckled and nodded again. "You will make a fine leader someday starrywater." He murmured before padding off to find the cats to mentor his kits and blackpaw.

I sat there for a moment watching the cats. 'This stinks I'm not allowed to help because I'm a queen.' I need to do something. I stand up and the sit down anxiously. Then I remember where I would always go when I was a kit. I stood and walked across the camp towards the elders den.


	13. Chapter 13

"Starrywater?" Poppyleg asked as I entered the den. "Hi guys." I said as I sat down. "I knew it! Brownear you owe me a mouse!" Crookedtail exclaimed as he got up and greeted me. "I heard your pregnant." Brownear meowed bluntly. "Yes I am." I replied. "I have to ask you guys some questions though." I meowed getting comfortable. "This is going to take a while.

**Sunwhisker's POV**

I yawned as we passed the frozen strawberry fields. "You sleepy sunwhisker?" My apprentice asked me. "No I'm fine I didn't sleep well last night that's all." I meowed as we followed the patrol. "Is it about starrywater?" She asked in a low voice. "Yeah until I talked to her earlier I thought she was mad at me." We walked in silence for a moment. "You really love her don't you?" She then asked. "More than you can imagine." I meowed. "Why?" She turned her head away. "No reason."

"Hey guys check this out!" Thundertail meowed from up ahead. He pointed with his tail to some tracks. "Looks like we got a fox."

**Starrywater's POV**

I sneezed as I walked out of the camp. "Are you catching a cold starrywater?" Cloudpool asked. I shook my head. "I'm fine someone is probably talking about me or something are you sure your okay with coming?" This time she shook her head. "I know cleo so I don't mind." I smiled. "I hope she is doing okay." The white she-cat shook her head again. "Im sure she is fine. You and sunwhisker saw her the day before right?" "Yeah I guess but…" "Don't worry she's fine." Cloudpool encouraged. "Hey you two!" We turned to see thundertail's patrol racing towards us. "There's a fox in this direction you have to get back to camp!" Thundertail hissed. Sunwhisker ran to stand beside me. "What are you doing out of the camp?"

"We had to…" "It doesn't matter we have to catch that fox." Thundertail interrupted. "The fox is not a threat tundertail!" I yowled at him making a flock of birds take flight from their perch high in the tree's. "Just finish the patrol and report to mossnose back at camp." I ordered sitting straight and curling my tail over my paws. "But…" "Now." I meowed. I fixed a level gaze at him as he tried to say something.

**Sunwhisker's POV**

Starrywater's face was unreadable as she gave orders to thundertail. I half expected him to jump her. But I was shocked when he dipped his head and meowed "Your right." My eyes widened in surprise while starrywater maintained her cool icy composure. Thundertail is the most hardheaded and stubborn cat I know! He doesn't take orders from anyone except the leader and deputy. Yet here he was bowing his head to my mate as if she was the leader instead of tigerstar. Thundertail stood indignantly and walked off in a huff. As I passed starrywater I realized why thundertail obeyed her.

Those weren't starrywater's eyes. Hers were soft and gentel while the starrywater standing in front of me had cold sharp eyes that seemed to dig right inside me. I shivered. Then she sighed. "Whew I thought he was going to claw my fur off for a minute there." She laughed nervously. She was back to her normal self. She padded close to me and leaned into my fur and whispered "Were taking some herbs to cleo and we'll be right back." I nodded. "Just don't hurt youself." I whispered before trotting off to join the patrol.


	14. Chapter 14

It was almost full moon again and my belly has swollen more distinctly. The gathering was tonight and tensions between spiritclan and waterclan were mounting. The warriors and elders are still respectful of each other though. The dawn patrol ran into a spiritclan patrol right on the border but sunwhisker told me that the other clan wasn't hostile at all. "It's like the two clans don't even want to fight each other." Sunwhisker had told me. "It's more like an argument between the leaders instead of the clans." I had been visiting the elders daily and doing small tasks around the camp. After tigerstar heard about me and cloudpool being outside of the camp together he banned me from leaving.

So as I grew more bored I started tending to the elders and helping morninglily with her two kits and moving sparkletail into the nursery. She had told me just a few sunrises ago that she was pregnant with sandears kits. So overall the camp was too peaceful. Which is why now I am heading to tigerstars den to ask if I can go to the gathering setting sun cast a pink hue across the sky making the clouds turn gold. Stars started to twinkle as the sky got darker. I shouldered through the reeds to find tigerstar talking about the day's reports with mossnose.

"Do you need something starrywater?" He asked when he saw me silently step closer. "Yes I would like to go to the gathering tonight." I meowed bluntly. "Why?" Tigertar mewed curiously. "Because I'm too confined in the camp." I meowed just as bluntly as the first time. I watched him determinedly as he mulled over his thoughts. "Very well but you must be with a warrior from waterclan at all times." I felt like an apprentice that just got permission to go on a patrol with warriors. I bowed to tigerstar excitedly.

"Thank you tigerstar!" Before he could respond I bolted out of his den and raced across the camp. I skidded to a stop in front of skyfur and wishcloud. "Starrywater be more careful you cant be super energetic in your state." Skyfur scolded me. I stuck my tongue out at him. "Tigerstar said I can go to the gathering tonight as long as I am with a warrior from waterclan." His eyes widened. "Oh me choose me!" He teased raising his rump and shaking it. He jumped from side to side. I pretended to look thoughtful.

"You have to stay with me thoughout the whole meeting unless if I'm with another warrior from our clan." I meowed. "Don't I always?" He meowed in confusion for a moment. We laughed. I spotted sunwhisker coming out of the warriors den from a nap. I turned and watched him stretch and sit to groom. I felt a tail flick my ear. "Are you going to be creepy and just stare or are you going to actually talk to your mate?" Wishcloud meowed indicating her tail towards her brother. I smiled sheepishly and quietly walked towards him. He was talking to thundertail when I approached. "Hey guys." I meowed as I approached. "Hey starrywater." Thundertail meowed licking his paw. "It's too bad you can't go to the meeting were probably going to have lots of fun and there might be some news about something exciting in one of the clans." He mocked me.

The whole time he was talking I had a smirk plastered on my face. "What are you smirking about?" Sunwhisker asked. I circled them slowly as I meowed "Your right there might be something interesting tonight." Thundertail watched me with wary eyes. "Tigerstar allowed me to go to the meeting with you guys." I meowed proudly as their eyes widened. "A queen isn't supposed to go to a gathering?" Thundertail yowled in surprise. I chuckled. "He said as long as I have a warrior from waterclan with me I can go." Sunwhisker just gazed at me with an impassive look on his face. I rubbed my muzzle against his purring. "Are you sure this is safe?" He asked with a worried gaze. "Why wouldn't it be?" I asked pulling away to look at him. "Well you're a pregnant queen and cloudpool said you might have your kits in another moon or two." Thundertail pointed out. "I'll be fine." I meowed exasperatedly. A cold evening breeze blew by and ruffled my fur. The sun set behind the mountains in the west and the full moon shone from behind a cloud.

Sunwhiskers blue eyes glittered with worry as if unconvinced. "I can take care of myself!" I meowed leaning into him. I was wrapped in his musky scent and drank it in. I sighed and I felt a purr rising in his chest. Then tigerstar and mossnose padded out of the leaders den and sat infront of the bramble tunnel waiting for the warriors ,elders ,apprentices ,and me to line up. Me thundertail and sunwhisker walked over and waited by him. "So you have two warriors sticking with you for the gathering?" Tigerstar mused. "Actually three if your counting me." Skyfur meowed as he padded up to sit by me. "Me I'm just hanging around for the walk there." Thundertail meowed nonchalantly. Blackpaw and his sisters then skidded to a stop in front of tigerstar excitedly. "We'll guard her too tigerstar!" Sugarpaw meowed. He chuckled and shook his head. "It will be a while before flowerpaw and cloudpool join us why don't you show your old mentor some of the moves you learned blackpaw." Thundertail meowed getting in a defensive pose.

Blackpaw's green eyes shined with excitement as he jumped at thundertail. He swiftly bolted to the side as thundertail swung a paw at him. He leaped on thundertails back and brought him to the ground biting his neck. "Wow you've learned a lot blackpaw!" I meowed. He brightened up at the comment. "Your exposed on your left side work on that more." Thundertail pointed out. Blackpaw nodded less enthusiastically. "Yes thundertail." He meowed. His sisters rushed him. "Teach us that move blackpaw that was amazing!" Leafpaw exclaimed. Just then cloudpool appeared out of her den with flowerpaw close beside her.

"Time to go." Tigerstar meowed as he took the lead and walked through the bramble tunnel. As we walked through the tunnel blackpaw stuck beside me as we walked to the second island. I glanced at skyfur. He bowed his head and ran forward to catch up with wishcloud. The glittering white snow crunched under our paws as I slowly led blackpaw off to the side whe we could still be seen but not be heard by nosy cats. "You don't seem to like thundertail that much." I meowed in a low voice. "It's not that I don't like him he's a great warrior." Blackpaw meowed just as quietly. "I guess I just liked being your apprentice more." I glanced at me sheepishly. I smiled at him. "I kinda know how you feel." I meowed. "Really?" He asked. I nodded. "Runningstream isn't my real mother you know." "She isn't?" He asked his green eyes widening.

I shook my head. "My real mom was waterstar. When I had found that out I couldn't help but feel that I like waterstar better." Blackpaws eyes were practically popping out of his head when I told him this. "But I love runningstream a lot too. I didn't realize this when I had first found out because I was so upset and confused." His eyes softened in understanding. "She raised you like her own and would give her life for you." He meowed. I nodded. "And it will be like that for you too. You can never replace your true mentor but you can look up to your new one too." He smiled. "Your right starrywater!" He was obviously feeling better about it now. We reached the river that separated the two islands in the waterclan lake.

I swam through the water with ease despite being a moon pregnant. Sunwhisker had come closer to help me across but as he saw I didn't need it he stood next to me. The icy water soaked my pelt making me shiver once I got out into the cold winter air. I shook most of the water off and sunwhisker pressed close to me to keep me warm. "Are you sure you don't want to go back?" He asked. I leaned into him but shook my head. "I can make it."

By the time we reached the clearing in the rocks I was soaking wet from swimming in the second river. Sunwhisker pressed into my side again trying to keep me warm. Only snowclan and flameclan. Lightningflame and tall cloud bounded over to greet me. Lightning flame tripped in surprise when she saw my belly making tallcloud trip over her in a flurry of paws tails and legs. "Your pregnant!" She exclaimed from under tallcloud. I chuckled. "Thanks for pointing that out captain obvious." I teased. "Your welcome sergeant sarcasm!" She meowed cheekily. The three of us laughed. Skyfur padded over and greeted us. "Your going to have to easy on her this time lightningflame." He meowed teasingly. "Aw come on skyfur I can take her!" I meowed as he blocked me from lightningflame. As we talked sunwhisker still stuck to my side. He watched us his gaze occasionally flickering to me. "Oh right you guys haven't met!" I meowed suddenly.

"Lightningflame tallcloud this is my mate sunwhisker. Sunwhisker this is tallcloud and lightningflame they are flameclan warriors." Sunwhisker bowed to them politely as I said their names. Lightningflame grinned at him while tallcloud went to impassive mode and nodded to him quietly. "So flamey want to have a go?" She flattened her ears at the annoying nickname. "Nah I don't feel like tumbling in the dirt with a queen." Lightingflame meowed licking her paw. I sighed. I leaned into sunwhisker sleepily. "Don't fall asleep the other clans are arriving." Sunwhisker meowed licking my ear. I yawned as the leaders jumped on the rock starting the clan meeting.


	15. Chapter 15

"Flameclan has a new litter of four healthy kits and three new warriors!" Darkstar announced. Graystar and tigerstar had already told the news about our clan and snowclan. "Toadfur ,cherrynose ,and ratclaw!" Cats yowled I yawned sunwhisker sighed. Then lightstar stepped forward. "Prey stealers are still in our territory and this time we are sure its waterclan." She announced. 'Way to be blunt about it.' I thought. But it took a second for the information to sink in. Every cat seemed quiet. "Excuse me?" I asked out loud after I realized what she said. "I thought we settled this at the last gathering?" She locked eyes with me. I was a few tail lengths from the great rock she stood upon. Her green gaze leveled with my amber ones. "Starrywater." Sunwhisker whispered nervously. I ignored him. "Whats your problem?" I asked. The question seemed to take her by surprise.

I kept talking. "Why do you hate waterclan so much?" I asked but I didn't give her time to answer. "You keep up this whole stupid rivalry charade and it's not even waterclan's fault what started it in the first place." She watched me intently. "You don't know what your talking about." She hissed. "Oh I think I do." I retorted. I stepped forward and made an incredibly bold move. I jumped on top of great rock and sat in front of lightstar. No cat tried to stop me though I did hear shocked gasps and murmurs. "The whole fight started over a dead kit right?" I asked. Her eyes widened while tigerstar watched me in confusion.

"Specifically your kit." I stated. She opened her mouth but I shushed her with a flick of my tail. "You and spiritstar had a kit right? Which wasn't against the warrior code at all but when you found out your kit was killed spiritstar took revenge." Some cats gasped. I turned and faced them. Millions of eyes watched me as I spoke. "Waterclan didn't kill any spiritclan kit." I meowed. "A kittypet had told them that waterclan did it out of selfishness and cruelty." I watched the cats as the mumbled and whispered. I spotted a familiar white coat sneaking out the way waterclan entered the clearing. "Isn't that right precious?" I called across the clearing towards her smiling. "Or should I call you cloudy?" As soon as I brought every clans attention to her she stopped. She turned and fixed her bright blue gaze at me.

"There was always one cat left out at gatherings." I meowed remembering the talk I had with the elders the day I found out I was pregnant.

"**Did you notice any significant cat as a warrior?" I asked. They all looked at each other and shook their heads. "Wait a minute." Poppyleg meowed. "Remember that one white she-cat?" She asked crookedtail. "You mean the one that showed up at gatherings but never talked to any cats?" Brownear asked. She nodded. I instantly knew it was cloudy. "Yeah she hung around spiritclan for a while but then she got all isolated." Crookedtail meowed. "She still comes too she seems to be only a few moons younger than us." Poppyleg explained. **

"**And no one knows her name?" I asked. They all shook their heads. "She was talking to lightstar though." Poppyleg meowed. "But at the time she wasn't clan leader and she was pregnant." My ears pricked up at this. "Do you know who her mate was?" Brownear scoffed. "Duh it was spiritstar!" Poppyleg nudged the elder. "Do you know how many kits they had?" I asked. "Just one and they named it orangekit." Poppyleg mewed licking her paw. My ears flattened in surprise and I stood fur bristling. I surprised them. "What happened to the kit?" I snarled trying to keep from running to the twoleg farms and clawing cloudy to shreds. "It died but only spiritclan knows why." Crooked tail meowed nervously.**

The white she cat was now facing me fully. "Your talking about me?" She asked. "Who else?" I asked jumping down from the great rock. "Watch yourself queen." She hissed as I approached her. "Watch yourself kittypet." Tigerstar meowed following me. Cloudy's blue eyes widened as he got near. She shrank back as he glared at her. "The gatherings are for clan cats only no kittypets are allowed." He meowed. Slowly cats began creeping forward. Fur puffed claws out and a menacing glare in their eyes. Cloudy backed up by the entrance only to be blocked by a group of spiritclan warriors. They glared at her with pure hatred. I felt a cat stand beside me and looked up to see lightstar. She watched as her warriors surrounded the white she cat. "Lightstar…" I nudged her. She blinked and looked at me. "Revenge isn't an option you should take." I meowed.

She closed her eyes and bowed her head. "Then I'll respect your opinion." She murmured. Instantly the warriors backed off but they still watched her angrily. She sighed with relief. Tigerstar beckoned me and the other leaders back on high rock. "What should we do with her?" Darkstar asked. Tigerstar shrugged. "Did you know precious was cloudy?" I asked him quietly. He gazed at me for a moment then shook his head. "Okay I believe you." I meowed. "Anyway we have to make sure she doesn't come back." Darkstar meowed. Lightstar listened but she was looking at the ground. Suddenly we heard a yowl. I imeadiatly turned to see what was going on. My blood ran cold when I saw blackfur and cloudy in a tangle of teeth and claws. I jumped down from high rock. "Blackpaw!" I shouted. Big mistake. He turned and looked at me with a scared expression. Cloudy ran at him claws outstretched. But I was faster.

I jumped in front of blackpaw. Her sharp claws raked my back. I winced and rolled over so that she was under me. I quickly righted myself and sat on her. Then she flipped making me land on my back with her standing over me. Her paws putting pressure at my throat. I gasped and writhed under her but it was no use. Then slowly I felt her claws start to sink in my throat. I was slipping into unconsciousness. Everything was hazy and dark. Then I remembered the image of cloudy standing over the body of orangekit. I felt my fur bristle in anger. A new strength surged through me. I pushed her off me using my hindlegs. She fell back surprised. I took that chance and sliced my claws through her soft bellyfur. I watched as her eyes looked down then back at me. There was a large puddle of blood below her.


	16. Chapter 16

Cloudy fell on the ground with a large thump. She looked at me with her blue eyes. At that moment I felt something I never wanted to feel ever again. I held the choice of killing her or not. Her life was in my paws and we both knew it. I never want to make that decision. I sat down dazed. Suddenly sunwhisker was in front of me. His fur was bristling as he stood over me protectively. Cloudy coughed blood then smiled. "You have a kind heart." She meowed. I could only watch her. Her face became serious. "That will be your downfall one day." Her white fur was soaked in blood. The smell and sight before me made my stomach feel queasy and within seconds I threw up.

"Blackpaw?" I rasped as warriors stood by cloudy making sure she didn't get up miraculously. The black apprentice ran to my side and pressed into my flank. "Starrywater are you okay?" He asked his green eyes brimming with tears. "I didn't mean too I just saw who she was and I-I-I just..," I brushed my tail against his ear and he stopped talking. "I'm just glad your okay." I meowed smiling softly. He sniffed. "Your like a little brother to me blackpaw, I wouldn't want anything to happen to you." He buried his face in my fur whispering sorry to me. I licked his head gently. "Starrywater ,blackfur!" Cloudpool exclaimed running towards us. "Are you okay I sent flowerpaw to get some herbs and cobweb to heal you two." She meowed breathlessly. She inspected me first. While she sniffed my back looking for any major cuts I asked "Are my…my kits allright?" Cloudpool kept sniffing me. "I don't know yet." I wave of panic crashed through me. "What do mean?" I asked in a shaky voice. "How can you not know! You're a medicine cat…" "Starrywater" Cloudpools muzzle suddenly appeared in front of mine.

I looked into her wise blue eyes. "I haven't checked yet but if it makes you more comfortable I'll do it now." She meowed. I nodded and closed my eyes. I felt her paws prodding my belly. I concentrated on her sweet scent instead of… I shifted. "If you move I cant tell properly." I heard cloudpool meow. "What if her kits aren't ok?" Blackpaw asked in a pained voice. "It'll be all my fault and…" "Don't worry blackpaw her kits are fine." Cloudpool meowed taking her paws off my belly. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. I opened my eyes to see sunwhisker a couple of fox-lengths away watching the three of us with a pained expression. We locked eyes and imeadiatly he trotted towards me. Once he reached us cloudpool moved on to looking over blackpaw. He nuzzled my cheek. We sat there listening to each others breathing. "They're okay." I meowed not looking at sunwhisker.

"…" I looked into his clear blue gaze. He flicked my ear with his tail and smiled. "You all are okay." He meowed tenderly. "That includes you too blackpaw!" He meowed. "Yes!" Blackpaw meowed enthusiastically obviously in a better mood. "Okay you both are good to go!" Cloudpool meowed. "Except for that gash on your back starrywater were going have to take you to the camp." I flattened my ears in annoyance. The one night I get away from camp and I have to leave early. Cloudpool stood as flowerpaw entered the clearing. Taking some cobweb she fixed up me and blackpaw. "That cobweb will have to do until we get back to camp." Cloudpool meowed. She turned to flowerpaw. "You stay here I'll take starrywater back to camp." She instructed. "Tell tigerstar we are leaving." Flowerpaw nodded eager to please and ran off to the group of leaders.

"Starrywater!" Lightningflame meowed as me and cloudpool stood to leave. "Are you okay? Are the kits okay? Hows blackpaw? Where are you going…" "Breath flamey." I meowed. She sucked in a big breath and let it out with a big whoosh. Tallcloud sighed. "Shaddup! It's not like you even talk that much anyway!" Meowed a miffed lightningflame. I chuckled. "We are all fine but the cut on my back is going to make me leave the gathering early." Lightningflame watched me with serious green eyes. "You're my best friend starrywater I just want to make sure your all right." Lightningflame meowed. I smiled. "Weve been best friends for a while flamey I'm fine." She nodded her. "You'd best be going." Tallcloud meowed in a deep voice. "Wait!" We all looked to see lightstar walking towards us. "I want to thank you starrywater." Lightstar meowed. I cocked my head to the side. "What for?" I asked. "For clearing up my kit's true murderer." "Oh." I looked at my paws. "You also stopped an unnecessary war." I looked up into her green gaze. "I just want cats to know the truth." I whispered quietly. Lightstar sat in front of me. I was looking down again. "Starrywater?" I looked up. "Thank you." Lightstar meowed smiling.

"We have to go starrywater!" Cloudpool meowed from the exit." I bowed my head to lightstar. "Excuse me." I trotted over to cloudpool. That was a lightstar I had never seen before. I followed cloudpool to the river lost in thought. She seemed cold when I first met her but now she's very kind. The moon reflected off the clear water. I could see fish swimming in the water. Their silvery bodies twisted back and forth as they swam away from me as fast as they could. As I swam through the water I thought about my kits. What would I name them? Will I be a good mother? Can sunwhisker cope with having kits? Of course he can but me? As these thoughts swirled around my head my paw hit something underwater. I looked down to see a rock jutting out from under the sandy bottom. Then I noticed the reflection of the water. I sucked in a breath as I saw sunwhiskers reflection in the water. "Shouldn't you be at the gathering? I asked. His reflection turned from concentrated to surprise.

"How did you?..." "Reflection in the water." I replied curtly. He flinched. "Why are you here?" I asked turning to face him. His blue gaze held mine and we stood for what seemed like moons but really was only a few seconds. "How do expect me to sit through a meeting while your hurt?" He asked in a soft voice. He seemed pained when he said this to me. We both were silent as we listened to the water swirl around our lower shoulders. "Okay." I meowed finally not sure what to say. He nuzzled my cheek. "Starrywater we got to get to camp!" Cloudpool meowed in exasperation. "Sunwhisker are you coming too?" She snapped at the tom. My mate winced and nodded. "Sorry cloudpool." We both meowed at the same time.

We got out of the river and shook off. The three of us chatted as we walked to the second river and then got to the camp. "This way missy!" Cloudpool snapped when I started to walk to the nursery. I flattened my ears in annoyance. Cloudpool was seriously getting o my nerves. "Why can't you…" I was interrupted by cloudpool flicking her tail for silence. "My den. NOW starrywater!" I dragged my paws as I followed her. She pointed her tail to a nest of feathers and moss as I entered. I sat down with a huff. Sunwhisker was already there. He chuckled and sat next to me. "What's so funny?" I grumbled as cloudpool came back with a mix of herbs. "You." He chuckled. "Your acting like a kit right now." He laughed. I love his laugh. He barley ever laughs because he is so serious around camp. I smiled. "What are you thinking about?" He asked when he saw me smiling. Cloudpool sat next to me and started to apply the medicine to my back.

"Nothing." I meowed. I frowned as I thought about cloudy. "Cloudpool?" She hummed to show she heard me. "Did I kill her?" I asked my voice barely above a whisper. She stopped. "We didn't stay long enough to find out." She answered and then kept applying the remedy. I had the sneaking suspicion she was lying. I ignored it. "Okay your done." She meowed picking up the last of the medicine mixture and taking it back to her den. I stretched and yawned. I padded out of the den and shivered. "I guess I'm going to go to bed." Sunwhisker meowed starting for the warriors den. I stopped him. "No sleep with me…please?" I pleaded staring straight into his deep blue eyes. He stood there contemplating it.


	17. Chapter 17

I opened my eyes and quickly closed them groaning. I turned and snuggled closer to sunwhisker. The air was frosty outside and some of the coldness seeped into the nursery. I buried my nose in sunwhiskers warm fur drinking up his scent. For a minute I thought I was in the warriors den again. I kept my eyes tightly closed and tried to fall back asleep. Then I felt two little bodies climbing over me. "Starrywater wake up!" Dapplekit yowled. I gently swatted at her and squirrlekit. The squealed and giggled as they tumbled off me into my nest. I turned my head and they were both right there licking my face. "Okay okay!" I meowed. They stopped licking and giggled. I opened one eye tiredly at them. They were staring back expectantly. I blew in their faces. They squealed and backed up. "What is with the noise?" I heard sunwhisker meow. I turned back to him. He blinked at me with blurry blue eyes. Dapplekit scrambled over me followed closely by her brother.

"What are you two doing did you wake starrywater and sunwhisker?" Morninglily meowed padding into the nursery followed by hornfur. Squirrlekit popped his head over my shoulder. "No." He answered innocently. Me and dapplekit giggled. I sat up slowly. Sunwhisker followed and sat up too. I licked a tuft of stray fur back in place on his cheek. He blinked. I purred as morninglily scolded her kits. "When are they going to be apprenticed?" I asked suddenly. Moninglily looked at me surprised for a moment. "Around the next two moons or so why?" She asked. I shrugged. "Just wondering." I turned to sunwhisker. "Hungry?" I asked. He nodded and after saying quick 'good mornings' to everyone we padded out of the den together.

A thin layer of snow covered the ground. I sneezed. "I hate leafbare." I grumbled as we approached the freshkill pile. "The only thing good about it is how pretty it looks." I snatched a sparrow from the pile. Sunwhisker followed me to the entrance of the nursery and sat two tail-lenghts away from the fern bush that grew by the entrance to the nursery. We sat there sharing the sparrow when skyfur approached us. "Hey starrywater is I okay if I take blackpaw out to hunt?" He asked. I licked my jaws and glanced across the camp to see blackpaw talking idly to his two sisters. 'It might do him some good to hang around skyfur and take a break from thundertails drills.' I thought as he turned to see me watching him with a curious expression. He padded over. "Hey guys whats going on?" He asked. I examined him. At closer look you could tell something was wrong. He dragged his paws when he walked and his tail drooped. He looked almost like he was sleepwalking. You could see his ribcage and his pelt hasn't been groomed properly in a few days. I suddenly felt alarmed and stood up and licked his forehead. "Blackpaw are you okay?" I asked walking around him like a queen would examine her kit. I straightened stray tufts of fur and sat next to him. He leaned on me tiredly. "N-no I'm fine…" He mumbled his eyes drooping. He was almost as big as me now. His head reached just under my chin. I licked his ear comfortingly and looked at sunwhisker then skyfur with a worried frown.

"Blackpaw." I meowed forcing him to look at me. "Is thundertail working you too hard?" I asked. 'What if choosing thundertail to mentor him was a bad idea?' I thought. He blinked and laughed which quickly turned into weak coughs. "No no thundertail is well balanced when it comes to training." He meowed smiling. I sighed in relief. "Then why do look like that?" Sunwhisker asked. Blackpaw flattened his ears. Mixed emotions flew across his face. Whats with everyone and asking my if im alright?" He shouted before bolting out of camp. I tried going after him but sunwhisker and my stomach wouldn't let me. "Blackpaw!" I called out as he disappeared through the bramble thicket. "I'll go after him." Skyfur assured and chased after blackpaw. Fernfoot then padded over. "Whats wrong with blackpaw?" She asked. I shook my head and walked away.

Blackpaw and skyfur didn't come back till very late at night. The moon was halfway across the night sky by the time the two toms appeared. I had been sitting in front of the warriors den waiting for them. As soon as I saw them I wobbled over. "Thank starclan your alright!" I mewed quietly licking blackpaw fiercely. He kept his head low and his eyes were downcast. "Blackpaw?" I asked. He looked at me with tears brimming in his big green guilty eyes. "I'm sorry!" He cried burying his face in my fur. "For what?" I asked as I looked at skyfur. Then that's when I noticed skyfur carrying a limp white body in between his teeth. Blackfur was sobbing with grief. Skyfur set the body down. "Its sugarpaw." He meowed gravely. I gasped as I held blackpaw tighter. He buried his head in my shoulder. I could feel the sobs racking his body. Sugarpaws head was turned at an akward angle and facing us. Her gray eyes were wide and lifeless. "Get tigerstar." I ordered skyfur. He nodded and bolted off in the direction of his den. I heard pawsteps behind me but I didn't turn to look. My eyes were glued to sugarpaws eyes.

Then the cat behing me sucked in a breath and sobbed. Fernfoot ran past me and blackpaw. She nudged sugarpaws body tenderly the she cried. Tigerstar padded silently beside me while skyfur flanked my other side. Tigerstar watched solemly as fernfoot started to prepare her daughter for her night vigil. Blackpaw stopped crying and was hunched miserably still breathing on my shoulder and not turning around. "What happened?" Tigerstar asked skyfur. "Its all my fault." Blackpaw meowed quietly. Fernfoot looked up in shock. "Your supposed to protect your sisters not kill them!" She screeched. Blackpaw flinched but still didn't look at her. "Why would you kill her?" She wailed. "My poor baby is dead and my son is a traitorous murderer!" Blackpaw was shaking now. "Your not even worth calling my kin!" She yowled at him. I swiped her across the muzzle with sharp claws. "Don't just accuse him like that!" I shouted. "And you cant just disown him he's your son!" She glared past me at him. "I have no son." She murmured as blood dripped down her muzzle onto sugarpaws white and gray fur.


	18. Chapter 18

Blackpaw has been following me everywhere since that night. He slept next to me in the nursery and ate fresh kill at the same time as me. He refuses to leave the camp to train or hunt without me tagging along to watch. It took tigerstar some convincing to let me go with him. I'm not complaining it's nice to have a companion and be able to stretch my legs outside of camp. I'm just worried about blackpaws state of mind. Our relationship as brother and sister quickly turned into mother and kit after fernfoot disowned him. It's like he's trying to make up for the absence of his true mother. I've tried to get both blackpaw and skyfur to tell me what happened that day but blackpaw would just avoid it and skyfur would shake his head and walk away. I hated it. I hated being kept in the dark when I could help. Me and blackpaw were basking in the weak leafbare sun watching thundertail show blackpaw some new fighting moves. I wasn't paying much attention being deep in my thoughts and all. I hadn't even realized thundertail finished his lesson until blackpaw suddenly appeared in front of me.

"Starrywater are you going to sit here all day?" He asked me cocking his head to the side. I nodded and stood. "Wait blackpaw." Thundertail meowed to him. Blackpaw turned curiously. "Yes thundertail?" The orange tom approached blackpaw suspiciously. "Fight me." Thundertail commanded curtly. Blackpaw and I perked our ears in surprise. "He's just an apprentice thundertail." I warned. He grunted and backed up so that he was facing us. The breeze was stronger up on flatrock than downhill. Blackpaw took a tentative step forward. "I really don't want to thundertail." He meowed nervously looking at me for support. Before I could say anything thundertail charged blackpaw. He dug his claws into blackpaws flank making him cry out in pain.

"Thunderail!" I screeched as he jumped out of blackpaws reach. I wasn't as worried as I would have been a few days ago though. Blackpaw regained his lost weight and his muscles and coat returned to their normal state. He was trying to back away from thundertail. "Thundertail please listen to me!" Blackpaw cried. I flattened my ears in thought. Blackpaw sounded like he was trying to warn thundertail. "Fight him blackpaw." I meowed sitting down. Both toms looked at me in surprise and then quickly turned back to each other. Thundertail charged again. This time blackpaw swiftly sidestepped him and launched himself on thundertails back. "Your dead." He meowed in a muffle voice as he softly grabbed thundertails neck in between his jaws. Thundertail shook him off and ran two fox-lengths away.

"Okay now you attack me." He commanded. Blackpaw swiped at his legs. Thundertail jumped but blackpaw was quicker and tackled him in mid air to the ground. They tussled for a bit before blackpaw once again announce thundertail dead while holding a steady grip on his neck. It went on like that until the sun was halfway across the sky. Each time blackpaw won. The two cats were panting as they faced eachother in defensive positions. I watched with keen interest. Some of the moves blackpaw used were too advanced for him to have been taught by thundertail or me and other moves he had perfected down to a whisker. "Where'd you learn those moves blackpaw?" I asked. He turned to me. "Huh? Moves? Well I watched the senior warrior mock battle one time and I practiced myself trying to get the moves right." He explained. Thundertail seized the opportunity and tried to tackle blackpaw. Blackpaw whirled around. 'There's no way he can avoid his attack!' I thought in alarm. But somehow blackpaw managed to flip the elder cat and now stood over him with a paw pressed to his neck. "Your dead." He meowed again in a monotone voice. Thundertail was wheezing for breath as the black apprentice stood over him. I shoved blackpaw aside catching him by surprise. "Blackpaw he can't breath!" I scolded him as thundertail gulped in air. Blackpaw looked at me with wide green eyes. I helped thundertail stand up. He leaned on me for support gasping still. "I-I didn't…" Blackpaw started but I interrupted. "It doesn't matter." I meowed suddenly aware of the time. "Cloudpool told me to meet her today at sunhigh so that she can check up on me." Thundertail stood by himself. "Okay were done training for today anyway." I nodded and the three of us started back to camp.

On the way back blackpaw stayed quiet which was very unusual for him. He usually couldn't shut up when he was around other cats. Once we reached camp we said goodbye to thundertail at the entrance. "Cloudpool sorry I'm late!" I called out as I entered her den with blackpaw close behind me. "Oh starrywater!" Flowerpaw mewed to me as she appeared next to me. She smelled strongly of honey and strawberries. She was carrying pine needles in her mouth. "Oh hi flowerpaw." I meowed sitting down. Blackpaw followed suit and bowed his head to her. She nodded back. "Were you gathering herbs for cloudpool agaim?" I asked. She sighed. "Cloudpool gets all stingy when I do something wrong so I'm trying to do more things on my own so she can see I'm not useless and stupid." I laughed awkwardly. "I'm sure she doesn't think of you that way flowerpaw." I meowed. She sighed and padded softly into the cave. "Starrywater your late." Cloudpool meowed entering the den. "Look who's talking." I chuckled nervously. 'Did cloudpool hear that?' I thought as the white medicine cat came closer and examined me. "I was outside looking for you." She murmured as she prodded my belly. "You're pretty close to having kits any day now." She meowed. "I'd suggest not leaving camp anymore." She mewed nonchalantly as she padded away into the den.


	19. Chapter 19

Another day had passed and still no kits. I was stuck in the camp again. This morning thundertail, dirtclaw, and skyfur had to drag blackpaw out of camp just for a patrol. The black haired apprenticed yowled and screeched at them but he didn't try to hit them. "You can't be bugging starrywater when she's so close to having kits." Skyfur teased. Immeadiatly blackpaw shut up and resentfully followed them out of camp. I had been eating a mouse by the nursery entrance watching carefully. I sighed at how childish blackpaw could be sometimes. I finished my mouse and started to groom myself. During the past few days thundertail had been making fat jokes about me and I would swat him on the ear. Sunwhisker would chuckle but after a fierce glare from me he would chase thundertail angrily around camp. I stood and started to walk towards cloudpool's den. She had me constantly checking in because the kits were so close. Not like I was complaining though. The check ups were the only thing I was looking forward to each day other than the kits arriving. I felt totally useless. Every morning I would wake up and see off the warriors going on dawn patrol. Then I'd eat breakfast with the ever present blackpaw. Then a check up with cloudpool and after that I would play with squirrelkit and dapplekit or chit chat with the elders. Then another check up and lunch with some warriors and apprentices. After lunch I would groom both me and blackpaw and then help any way I could around camp just for something to do. Then another check up and me and blackpaw would say goodnight to everyone and then go to bed. It was basically a routine of lather, rinse, and repeat.

Fernfoot watched me as I approached the nursery den with disgusted eyes. She was sitting by the opening of the den. "I've been meaning to talk to you but that stupid lump of fur was always around you so I couldn't." She meowed as I was about to disappear into the den. I halted and turned to her. My amber eyes betraying no emotion. "By stupid lump of fur I assume you mean blackpaw?" I asked her. Her face contorted into pure hate as I said his name. She looked like she ate some rotten crowfood. "I wanted to ask if you could keep him from hanging around leafpaw." Ferncloud said. "I have no control over who blackpaw hangs around." I deadpanned. She was seriously getting on my nerves. She humphed. "I just don't want that trash being near my darling pure leafpaw. I mean who knows maybe he will kill her too-" Before she finished I had swiped her face. Three parallel claw marks were now imprinted on her left cheek. "You get on my nerves way too easily." I hissed before whirling around and entering the medicine cat den.

**Blackpaw's POV**

I sighed for the hundredth time that day. "Freakin' starclan blackpaw we haven't even reached the first river yet!" Thundertail groaned cuffing me behind the ear. " But I miss starrywater!" I complained. Starrywater cuffed behind my ears all the time when she was training me so I didn't even flinch when his paw came in contact with the back of my head. Starrywater always hit me with her full strength proceeding to send me tumbling after the blow. So I learned to automatically brace myself right before the hit. Thundertail looked at me strangely as he pulled his paw away. "Your blows are the same as a kits compared to starrywaters." I sneered at him. He tried to cuff me harder this time but the same thing happened. "How hard did she train him?" I heard him mutter under his breath. "Hard enough to whoop your butt to the moon." I smirked. "Wanna prove that you stupid furball!" He growled fluffing up his neck fur at me. "I don't like to pick on weaklings." I meowed coolly as I kept walking. Skyfur and dirtclaw were used to us quarreling so the didn't pay attention to us as we walked along the borders. "That's it small fry your going down!" Thundertail yowled as he tackled me. We rolled down the slope leading to the river bank. I felt nauseous as our rolling and spinning sped faster. I could faintly hear Skyfur and dirtclaw call after us and the snow under us crunching as we rolled over it. We rolled right into the shallow area of water and finally stopped.

The freezing water only covered my back but I still shivered as the cold sensation seeped through my fur sending chills down my spine. Thundertail was standing over me as I lay on my back. He seemed dazed for a few seconds before snapping at me and growling. His sharp canines just inches from my throat. I calmly stared at him waiting for him to attack me. I could hear skyfur and dirtclaw trudging through the snow to get to us. "What are waiting for attack me already." I deadpanned as he stood above me still snarling. The question seemed to catch him off guard. He scanned me suspiciously with his yellow eyes. They weren't like starrywater's eyes. She always had emotions flooding her eyes. When she was happy her eyes were warm pools of amber. When she was sad they were cold dark crystals. When she was angry they were a fiery hot yellow that could burn holes through anything. I've seen many emotions in her eyes. I admire her for the fact that she never seems to hide her emotions…no I admire everything about her. I admire the way she can be bipolar sometimes and how she stands up for her opinions and her friends'. I admire the way she can catch the smallest prey in the whole camp and still be happy about helping her clan. I admire the way that she does everything for her clan even if everyone else thinks its an impossible feat. I would't say I loved her though.

Love was too strong of a word to use. I do love her but not like that. It's more than friends but less than true love. I can't quite place the feeling I have for her. I sanpped back to reality when skyfur barreled into thundertail knocking him off me. "Why didn't you fight back?" Thundertail asked shaking himself as he stood. I stared up at the dark sky watching the gray clouds as it started to snow. "I can't fight." I replied solemly as I continued to watch the snow as it landed all around me. I saw skyfur bow his head out of the corner of my eye. "Don't misunderestimate me." I meowed as I stood up. "I could easily kill you." I hissed looking over my shoulder at thundertail.

**Skyfur's POV**

I have to admit I was kinda shocked when thundertail attacked blackpaw. I mean yeah they get in little spats sometimes but those mainly consists of exganging words that could make any other warrior cry on the spot. I didn't even realize what happened until I saw thundertail's hissing and spitting body rolling down the hill tangled in blackpaws limp one. I automatically raced after the calling blackpaws name. By the time I reached them I was going full speed and I couldn't stop. I skidded as gravity and momentum dragged me down the hill and threw me into thundertail. Blackpaw was staring at him stoically. He turned and watched the clouds still on his back. He was thinking deeply. "Why didn't you fight back?" Thundertail asked. He shook snow violently from his pelt. Blackpaw didn't look at us. "I can't fight." He replied. I bowed my head. I could tell by the distant look in his eyes that he was thinking about sugarpaw. Blackpaw stood as the snow fell and hit the soft white ground around him. "Don't misunderestimate me." He meowed suddenly. I looked up to see him facing away from us. He had his head turned in our direction with one green eye glinting at us.

At that moment I wondered if anyone but me knew just how strong blackpaw really was.


End file.
